Inability of India, Pak to meet in NY not a setback: Krishna

New York, Sep 30 (PTI) Indian External Affairs
Minister S M Krishna has said that he does not perceive as a
setback the inability of both the countries to meet here for
dialogue and was looking forward to Indo-Pak talks in New
Delhi.
"Certainly not," Krishna told PTI in response to a
question about whether the inability of both the countries to
meet this time around had been a setback.
"I have invited him to come to Delhi after my
Islamabad visit and I am looking forward to receiving him in
New Delhi so the talks are going to continue," he added.
Both the countries have refrained from blaming each
other, but Qureshi has indicated that India changed its minds
while Krishna said Pakistan was not prepared to have talks.
"Well it takes two hands for a clap... my Foreign
Secretary (Nirupama Rao) was ready... I called in the joint
secretary who deals with Pakistan hoping that there would be
talks with the Foreign Minister of Pakistan," Krishna said.
"He came here without his Foreign Secretary and well
talks didn't happen," he said. "So the question of
preparedness will have to be verified isn't it?"
Krishna and Qureshi were both in New York to attend
the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly and
a bilateral meeting was widely anticipated.
The meeting, however, did not take place, apparently
because India was put off by Qureshi raising the Kashmir issue
at several forums there, including the United Nations.
Krishna, however, denied that the spat over Kashmir
was the reason for the talks not panning out this week.
"No not at all," he said in response to whether
Kashmir had thrown a spanner in the work.
"No we are not afraid of Kashmir... he raised it at
the United Nations... well India responded to that," he added.
Speaking at the General Assembly wednesday, Krishna
said that Pakistan must stop its state-sponsored militancy and
terrorism in Kashmir.
"Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of
India, is the target of Pakistan-sponsored militancy and
terrorism," he said.
Speaking at the UN on Tuesday, Qureshi raised the
issue of the "right to self-determination of the Kashmiri
people" and a "plebiscite under the UN auspices."
Krishna, however, stressed that there was nothing
extraordinary new in this strong exchange of words.
"Well, all that he said or I said is a reiteration of
whatever positions they have and we have had earlier and we
have talked despite those positions, which we have held
tenuously," he said.
Both the ministers have said that they were looking
forward to the next round of talks in New Delhi for which
dates have to be set through diplomatic channels. PTI